Helleborus plant named ‘COSEH 1070’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Helleborus  plant named ‘COSEH 1070’, characterized by its upright and mounding plant habit; uniform and freely flowering habit; dark green-colored leaves with yellow green and greyed green-colored marbling; freely flowering habit; single white-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Helleborus niger.

Cultivar denomination: ‘COSEH 1070’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHelleborus plant, botanically known as Helleborus niger and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘COSEH 1070’.

The new Helleborus plant is a product of a planned breeding program inGlandorf, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to createnew uniform Helleborus plants with unique and attractive plant habit,leaf and flower coloration and resistance to pests.

The new Helleborus plant originated from a cross-pollination conductedby the Inventor in Glandorf, Germany in January, 2006 of two unnamedproprietary seedling selections of Helleborus niger, not patented. Thenew Helleborus plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as asingle flowering plant from within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination grown in a controlled greenhouse environment inGlandorf, Germany in December, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Helleborus plant by divisions in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Glandorf, Germany since March, 2009has shown that the unique features of this new Helleborus plant arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Helleborus have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘COSEH 1070’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘COSEH 1070’ as a new and distinct Helleborusplant:

-   -   1. Upright and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Uniform and freely flowering habit.    -   3. Dark green-colored leaves with yellow green and greyed        green-colored marbling.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Single white-colored flowers.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Compared to plants of the parent selections, plants of the newHelleborus are more uniformly mounded and are more freely flowering.

Plants of the new Helleborus can be compared to plants of Helleborusniger ‘HGC Josef Lemper’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,615. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Glandorf, Germany, plants of thenew Helleborus differed primarily from plants of ‘HGC Josef Lemper’ inthe following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Helleborus had variegated leaves whereas        plants of ‘HGC Josef Lemper’ had solid green-colored leaves.    -   2. Plants of the new Helleborus had smaller flowers than plants        of ‘HGC Josef Lemper’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Helleborus plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Helleborus plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘COSEH 1070’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflower of ‘COSEH 1070’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the late autumn in 13-cmcontainers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Glandorf, Germany and undercultural practices typical of commercial Helleborus production. Duringthe production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 32°C. and night temperatures ranged from 3° C. to 18° C. Plants were 14months old when the photographs and the description were taken. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Helleborus niger ‘COSEH 1070’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary seedling            selection of Helleborus niger, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary seedling            selection of Helleborus niger, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two months at            temperatures about 12° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About six            months at temperatures about 4° C. to 15° C.        -   Root description.—Thick to thin, fleshy; white to brown in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Sparse.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; upright and            mounding plant habit with flowers held just above the foliar            plane; plant shape is roughly globular; low vigor to            moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 26.8 cm.        -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 27.4 cm.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Leaves arranged in a basal rosette; leaves            palmately compound with five to seven leaflets per leaf.        -   Leaf length.—About 18.1 cm.        -   Leaf width.—About 11.3 cm.        -   Leaflet length.—About 6.4 cm.        -   Leaflet width.—About 2.5 cm.        -   Leaf shape.—Palmate; orbicular to reniform in outline.        -   Leaflet shape.—Obovate to narrowly obovate.        -   Leaflet apex.—Acute.        -   Leaflet base.—Attenuate.        -   Leaflet margin.—Serrate.        -   Leaflet texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;            leathery.        -   Leaflet venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Leaflet color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to            between 143C and 144A; marbling, close to 145A. Developing            leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B. Fully developed            leaves, upper surface: Close to between 137A and N137C;            marbling, close to 144C and 192B; venation, close to 144A to            144B. Fully developed leaves, lower surface: Close to 191A            to 191B; marbling, close to 147C to 147D; venation, close to            147D.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 9 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to between 145C and 146D, heavily            tinged with close to 184A to 184B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower shape and habit.—Single rotate flowers arranged            singly or in pairs; freely and uniform flowering habit with            about 24 flowers and flower buds developing per plant;            flowers facing mostly outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about ten            months after planting; plants flower from winter into the            early spring in Germany.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About ten days; flowers not            persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.9 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm.            Shape: Ovate. Color: Close to 145B to 145C; towards the            apex, close to 145D.        -   Flower diameter.—About 7.7 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 2.1 cm.        -   Petals.—Transformed into nectaries.        -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five, arranged in a single            whorl. Length: About 3.9 cm. Width: About 2.4 cm. Shape:            Ovate to obovate. Apex: Obtuse to bluntly acute. Base:            Broadly cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper            surface: Close to NN155C; towards the base, close to 145B.            When opening, lower surface: Close to NN155B; towards the            base, close to 145B. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces:            Close to 155A; towards the base, close to 145A; color            becoming closer to 145B to 145C development.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 21.4 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Aspect: About 20° from vertical. Strength: Moderately            strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 146D,            heavily dotted with close to 184A to 184B.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 7.8 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Aspect: About 30° from peduncle axis. Strength: Moderately            strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 147D,            moderately dotted with close to 184B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower:            About 100. Filament length: About 1.2 cm. Filament color:            Close to NN155D. Anther shape: Reniform. Anther length:            About 2 mm. Anther color: Close to 1B to 1C. Pollen amount:            Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 5D. Pistils: Quantity per            flower: About seven. Pistil length: About 8 mm. Stigma            shape: Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close to 150D. Style            length: About 7.5 mm. Style color: Close to 145A to 145B.            Ovary color: Close to 145A to 145B. Nectaries (transformed            petals): Quantity per flower: About ten. Length: About            1.2 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Shape: Obovate, concave.            Color, immature, inner and outer surfaces: Close to 144A.            Color, mature, inner and outer surfaces: Close to 144A;            towards the apex, close to 144B to 144C; with development,            apical color becomes closer to N144A.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Helleborus.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Helleborus have been observed    to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and high    temperatures about 35° C. and to be hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 5.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Helleborus have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Helleborus plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Helleborus plant named ‘COSEH 1070’as illustrated and described.